Pest Advice Blog

Avoiding a Cockroach Infestation in Winter

Cockroaches are notorious for being extremely resilient and hard to kill. Bugs sprays don’t work on them because most bug sprays are contact killers and therefore only kill the cockroaches you see, not the ones that are hiding in the dark corners of your home. Cockroaches have survived on our planet for more than 300 million years, and they are definitely not about to go extinct naturally, so you need to be vigilant and keep them out of your home.

But keeping your home clean and clutter free is not enough. Cockroaches aren’t attracted to your house because it’s messy, they like it in winter because it is warm. Cockroaches will die if exposed to extreme cold and are looking for a nice warm place to survive the winter months. But of course, if your home happens to be messy, with food scraps and garbage lying around, that is just an added bonus for them.

Forming an Effective Pest Control Strategy

Insect control is extremely important as the weather starts to get colder. To avoid a cockroach infestation in the winter, you need to have a strategy and your plans have to target the three things that cockroaches need to survive – food, water and a warm place to shelter.

Cockroach proof your house in the following ways

Always keep your kitchen clean and tidy – Kitchens are the ideal hang-out for cockroaches, they are warm and have a constant supply of food and water. Even the smallest morsel is enough to attract a cockroach so you need to wash your dishes, wipe down your countertops and mop your kitchen floor regularly.

Repair leaks – Cockroaches need to drink and will move into your home if you provide them with a reliable water source. It is important to check all your pipes and taps regularly and ensure that there are no leaks. Repair all leaks as soon as you find them.

Fix all cracks and holes in your house – A cockroach does not need much space to find its way into your house so before the winter sets in, it is important to ensure that you limit their entry points by repairing cracks in the walls, holes in the roof, and caulk the windows. This will not only keep the cockroaches out, but it will also keep the heat in and make your house more energy efficient.

Take out the trash – Cockroaches can find lots to eat in your garbage. To reduce the risk of an infestation, make sure that you regularly empty and clean your trash cans. Don’t let trash build up in your home or spill onto the floor.

Call in the experts

As soon as you notice a cockroach infestation in your home, you need to get professional help. Cockroaches are hard to kill and a professional insect control company has the experience and equipment to solve the problem. Truly Nolen has years of experience dealing with insect control and will be able to advise you on your best course of action.

When you work with Truly Nolen, a qualified technician will visit your home and carry out a detailed inspection and identify typical cockroach nesting sites. We will then use a HEPA vacuum to remove nesting pockets that may be home to both adult and immature cockroaches. Merely getting rid of the cockroaches, however, is not enough and the technician will then apply a boron-based product to cracks and crevices to prevent future infestations. They will also caulk the cracks and crevices where cockroaches like to nest. As a final step, Truly Nolen will provide you with a detailed sanitation report.

Insect control is essential all year round, but you need to especially vigilant in winter when pests look for warm places to shelter. Truly Nolen can help you ensure that your home does not become a convenient winter refuge for cockroaches.